Leon Haslam set the quickest time in first qualifying for round two of the World Superbike Championship at Portugal's Portimao circuit.
In-form rider heads five Britons in the top 10
Early-season pacesetter Leon Haslam has maintained his momentum heading into round two of the World Superbike Championship by setting the quickest time in first qualifying in Portugal.
The Alstare Suzuki rider, who scored his first win in the series in the opening round at Phillip Island, lapped the Portimao circuit in one minute 43.476 seconds to go quickest ahead of Xerox Ducati's Michel Fabrizio.
Spanish veteran Carlos Checa was third fastest on his Althea Ducati with Max Biaggi fourth for Aprilia
Haslam was joined by no fewer than five fellow Britons in the top 10, with James Toseland showing more promise than last time out with the fifth fastest time.
The double world champion, who is back contesting the series after two seasons in MotoGP, struggled in Australia with a Yamaha he found difficult to set up.
Toseland's team-mate Cal Crutchlow was sixth, with Aprilia's Leon Camier ninth and Ten Kate Honda's Jonathan Rea 10th. Czech rider Jakub Smrz was eighth.
It was a tough day for 2009 championship runner-up Noriyuki Haga, however, with the Japanese rider only managing 11th fastest, half-a-second slower than Haslam.
Meanwhile, another MotoGP refugee, Kawasaki's Chris Vermeulen did not set a time in both qualifying and the earlier first practice session.
The Australian tore five ligaments as well as the cartilage and muscle in the knee in a heavy fall at Phillip Island.
Vermeulen said earlier in the week that it will take him up to two months to get back to full fitness.
